Guide to the Unifine Milling Company Records 1949-1996
Cage 691

Summary Information

Repository
Washington State University Libraries, Manuscripts, Archives, and Special Collections
Creator
Unifine Milling Company
Title
Unifine Milling Company Records
ID
Cage 691
Date [inclusive]
1949-1996
Extent
2 containers., 1.5 linear feet of shelf space.
Language
Collection materials are in English.
Abstract
The records of the Unifine Milling Company of Pullman, Washington include correspondence, photographs, and plans related to the development of the unifine process at Washington State University in addition to the company's own operating records. The collection also includes files created by Clarice McCartan, one of the shareholders of the mill. The unifine process of milling flour was the idea of an Englishman, John Wright, who brought the process to Washington State University for experimentation and further development in the late 1940s.

Preferred Citation

[Item Description]. Cage 691, Unifine Milling Company Records. Manuscripts, Archives, and Special Collections, Washington State University Libraries, Pullman, WA.

Return to Top »


Biography/History

The Unifine process of milling flour was the idea of an Englishman, John Wright. This process of milling flour produced a whole wheat flour with a lengthier period of rancid-free storage than ordinary whole wheat flour. Moreover, the flour had baking properties similar to enriched white flour. Wright approached the Washington State College Division of Industrial Research with his idea in the late 1940s, and period of experimentation with the mill soon began. The mill could not be patented, but Washington State College controlled the registration of the name "Unifine" until 1975.

One commercial application of the unifine technology was the Unifine Milling Company of Pullman. In 1981 this company began producing flour for sale to the public under the name "Flourgirls." This firm continued in operation until about 1995.

Return to Top »


Scope and Content

The records the Unifine Milling Co. consist both of company records (meeting minutes, correspondence, financial statements, and marketing reports), along with correspondence, photographs, and plans related to the development of the unifine mill at Washington State College. Additional Unifine Milling Company records stand separate from the larger body of records because these originally were the files of Clarice McCartan, one of the shareholders.

Return to Top »


Arrangement

The arrangement of the records is as three record series. Series 1 consists of records concerning the unifine mill experiments at Washington State College. Series 2 consists of records relating to Unifine Milling Company. Series 3 consists of the files of Clarice McCartan, and her involvement with Unifine Milling Co.

Return to Top »


Administrative Information

Publication Information

Washington State University Libraries Manuscripts, Archives, and Special Collections  © 2012

http://www.libraries.wsu.edu/masc/

Terrell Library

P.O. Box 645610

Pullman, WA, 99164-5610 USA

509-335-6691

mascref@wsu.edu

Restrictions on Access

This collection is open for research use.

Acquisition Information

Records concerning the Unifine Experimental Flour Mill at Washington State College and Unifine Milling Company were donated to the Washington State University Libraries in 1998 by Eric Wegner of Pullman, manager and miller.

Return to Top »


Names and Subjects

Corporate Name(s)

Creator(s) :
  • Unifine Milling Company--Archives
Subject(s) :
  • Unifine Milling Company--Washington (State)--Pullman

Personal Name(s)

Subject(s) :
  • McCartan, Clarice

Subject(s)

  • Unifine flour
  • Flour
  • Flour mills--Washington (State)
  • Flour mills--Washington (State)--Pullman--Records and correspondence
  • Washington (State)
  • Agriculture

Return to Top »


Detailed Description of Collection

The following section contains a detailed listing of the materials in the collection.

Series 1: Research and development - Unifine process 

box folder

Unifine mill inquiries 1952-1962 

1 1

Early correspondence 

box folder

 1949-1952 

1 2

 1952-1953 

1 3

 1953-1960 

1 4

 1949-1955 

1 5
box folder

(RP 121/6 [original filing code]) Unifine flour mill 1950-1962 

1 6

Unifine experimental mill photographs undated 

1 7

Early designs 1965 1982 

1 8

Resurvey 1958 1970-1971 

1 9

Trademark application and information 1951-1981 

1 10

Return to Top »


Series 2: Unifine Milling Company Records 

Minutes, Board of Directors 

box folder

 1981 

1 11

 1982 

1 12

 1983 

1 13

 1984 

1 14

 1985 

1 15

 1986 

1 16

 1987 

1 17

 1988 

1 18

 1989 

1 19

 1990 

1 20

 1991 

1 21

 1992 

1 22

 1993 

1 23

 1995 

1 24

 1996 

1 25
box folder

Manager applications Nov 1985 

1 26

Manager's reports 1987 

1 27

Manager's reports 1988 

1 28

Artwork for flour bag undated 

1 29

Expired licenses 1986-1989 

1 30

Unifine Flour: Twenty Five Years Later-Mary Corbett Stevens ca 1975 

1 31

Newspaper clippings 1975-1991 

1 32

Feature stories (source material) 1991-1994 

1 33

Unifine 1957-1982 

1 34

Bindered material (Marketing, finances, minutes, correspondence) 1985-1986 

1 35

Minutes, marketing, finance, correspondence, photograph of owners 1981-1985 

1 36

Minutes, marketing, finance, correspondence, bylaws 1977-1984 

1 37

Return to Top »


Series 3: Records kept by Clarise McCartan 

box folder

Minutes: Management team, Board 1986-1989 

2 38

Minutes: Management team, Board 1981-1985 

2 39

Contacts for buying/distributing Flourgirls flour 1987-1991 

2 40

Product information about Flourgirls flour, business cards undated 

2 41

Cookbook - Draft and early ideas undated 

2 42

Shareholder memos and correspondence 1981-1987 

2 43

Handwritten business notes 1985 

2 44

Marketing 1982 

2 45

Letters to and from Clarice McCartan 1982-1987 

2 46

Letters to or concerning Mary Stevens 1982-1985 

2 47

Finances and Treasurer's reports 1984-1989 

2 48

Return to Top »


Oversize items 

box folder

Unifine Mill plans 1952 

o.s. 49

Return to Top »